Love’s Trust Leads To Blessed Obedience

David W Palmer

Today, we look at faithful obedience versus unbelieving disobedience and rebellion, which is obstinate opposition to the divine will:

(1 John 3:22 KJV) “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”

Most prayer promises have faith as the condition for receiving answers, but here we see that the Holy Spirit adds another condition: “because we keep his commandments.” (The faith aspect is covered in his second condition: “and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” Remembering that Heb. 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please him.”) We need to meet both of these conditions to “receive” “whatsoever we ask.” So, faith that doesn’t obey won’t receive the answer, “yes,” to prayer. In Hebrews, the Holy Spirit further explains and illustrates this through the life of Israel:

(Hebrews 4:6, 11 NKJV) “Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience ... {11} Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.”

In this passage, the Holy Spirit is talking about the descendants of Israel failing to receive the promised land that God gave them. The reason?—they didn’t trust him enough to obey him.

Without doubt, faith and obedience are one and the same in God’s mind; faith that doesn’t obey is not faith at all. Unbelieving disobedience certainly will not receive what God has promised. The Holy Spirit cites how Israel wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. Why?—because although they heard the same gospel as Caleb and Joshua, they were not willing to obey it; they didn’t trust God enough to do what he said, so they couldn't receive what he promised. They simply didn’t trust God with their lives, their future wellbeing, and their protection; they rebelled against his command, and wandered in the wilderness until they died.

The book of Isaiah puts it so simply:

(Isaiah 1:19 NKJV) “If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land.”

God wants us to trust him enough to obey him. After all, even “the demons believe,” but they are not saved, rewarded, or blessed by God. Why?—because they don’t take any corresponding action.

(James 2:19–20 NKJV) “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! {20} But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?”

Don’t imitate Israel’s unbelieving, disobedient generation:

(Hebrews 4:1–3 NLT) “God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. {2} For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. {3} For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’ “even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.”

We note that the unbelieving, disobedient people died in the wilderness—without ever inheriting what God wanted them to have. Like the demons, they may have indeed believed that there is but one true God. Yet because they didn’t trust him enough to obey him, they failed to receive what his love so desperately wanted them to have.

Today, do you have any areas of unbelieving disobedience in your life? Maybe God has spoken to you, quickened a promise to you, or is prompting you; but despite the clear opportunity to trustingly obey him, you have failed to do so. The happy truth is that you can quickly repent, and receive his grace to obey—today! Remember, on the other side of obedience is:

“Each act of obedience shortens the distance to any miracle you are pursuing. Remember God only feels obligated to the obedient. The obedient always receive answers to their prayers.” (Murdock)

On the other hand, the sad truth is that rejecting God through disobedience leads to disappointment, delay, discouragement, and an open door for disillusionment.

What is it that God is talking to you about right now? Is he asking you to put right a wrong, give, forgive, talk to a neighbour, or call that friend? Perhaps for you it is yielding over a habit, a sin, or an unloving attitude? Whatever area of unbelieving disobedience you are holding on to; today’s the day to put it right, and to receive the abundant blessing that only faithful obedience can receive.

Does what you need to obey seem too difficult? If so, look to Jesus, our perfect example in this: maintaining his perfect track record of obedience cost him much suffering. Now, his grace is available to help you obey where it seems impossible for you to do so in your own strength.

(Hebrews 5:8–9 NLT) “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. {9} In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.”

(Hebrews 4:16 NKJV) “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”